Automatic feeding device for aquarium



y 14, 1964 L. KAUNZNER AUTOMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR AQUARIUM Filed June 14, 1963 mvsmoa LJNRE'A/CE Z. KJl/A/ZA/ER United States Patent AUTOBIATIC FEEDING DEVICE FDR AQUARIUli/I Lawrence L. Kaunzner, 3542 Newton Ave. N., Minneapoiis, Minn.

Filed June 14, 1963, Ser. No. 288,027 2 Claims. (Cl. 1 19-51) This invention relates to an improvement in an auto matic feeding device for feeding fish for use as in connection with an aquarium.

It is desirable to have a relatively inexpensive device easily operated for dispensing measured quantities of feed at certain intervals of time. There are known to be rotating hopper types of feeding devices which discharge directly through a spout during a certain interval of the period of rotation, but it is desirable to have a more definite control over the quantity of feed dispensed.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a very simply constructed feeding device arranged to dispense measured quantities of feed at certain intervals of time.

It is another object of this invention to provide a feeding device comprising a storage chamber and a dispensing chamber and means adjusting the capacity of said dispensing chamber.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a feeding device comprising a storage chamber and a dispensing chamber with a member rotating said device and said chambers being so arranged and constructed that said storage chamber fills said dispensing chamber at one interval in the rotation of said device and that said dispensing chamber discharges the feed therein at another interval in the rotation of said device, there being no passage of feed between said chambers during said interval of discharge.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a broken view in front elevation showing applicants device in discharging position and showing some portions thereof in dotted line;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to PEG. 1 in side elevation;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with a portion thereof broken away and with applicants device in a non-discharging position;

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1 as indicated;

FIG. 5 is a View in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3 as indicated; and

FIG. 6 is a view in vertical section showing a modification of applicants device.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-3, applicants device is indicated generally by the character 10 and is shown in operating position carried by a clock type supporting member 12 in connection with an aquarium 14.

Said supporting member 12 may be variously formed and is indicated comprising a housing or casing 16 having therein a conventional type of electrically driven clock movement 17 with lines 18 running to a suitable supply of current and having extending forwardly thereof of said clock movement a pinion 20 carrying at its free end a U-shaped spring type of clamp 21 holding applicants device 10 in operating position by frictional engagement. Said supporting member 12 may be provided with a dial or face if desired and will be arranged and constructed to have said pinion 29 make a complete rotation at certain intervals of time, such as once each twelve hours or once each twenty-four hours as may be desired. Fish of the type maintained in aquariums such as in homes are gen erally fed only once or twice each twenty-four period.

Depending from said housing 16 are spaced U-shaped spring type clamps 22 engaging the rim portion 15 of the aquarium 14 and holding said supporting member in upstanding position.

The applicants device 1% may take various specific forms within the scope of the applicants inventive concept. In the instant embodiment, applicants device is shown comprising a housing or body member 25 substantially parallelepiped in form. Said housing may be formed of any suitable material. A clear plastic material such as Lucite has been found to be very satisfactory.

Said housnig member 25 comprises side walls 27 and 28, a front Wall 29, a rear wall 30, a lower end or bottom wall 31 and an upper end or top wall 32.

Formed within said housing member 10 is a primary or storage chamber 33 bounded by the walls 27, 23 and 29 and having a width extending from the side Wall 27 to the side wall 28 and from the rear wall 29 inwardly to a partition or dividing wall 35. Said chamber 33 is indicated as being substantially rectangular in cross section to provide maximum capacity. Said chamber 33 has an opening 37 at its upper end portion to the atmosphere with a removable stopper 38 of common design such as a cork disposed in said opening.

With particular reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom wall 39 of said chamber 33 is spaced a substantial distance inwardly from the outer bottom or lower end 31 of said housing member. The partition wall stops short of said bottom 39 to form a transverse passage 40 therebetween.

- With applicants device in upright position as indicated in FIG. 5, said bottom wall 39 of said chamber 33 is inclined downwardly from about its periphery to the point of said passage 40 whereby with applicants device in this position, feed 43 within said chamber 33 will flow freely towards said passage. Said partition wall 35 forms a divider between said primary chamber 33 and a secondary chamber or passage 47 extending between said partition wall 35 and said front wall 29. Said secondary chamber or passage 47 is indicated as being cylindrical in cross section. Said passage 40 thus provides communication between said chamber 33 and the chamber 47.

Said chamber 47 has an open end 43 extending through said bottom wall 31. The portion of said chamber 47 p from the point of said passage 4t? outwardly towards its open end 48 comprises a metering or dispensing chamber 47a which is arranged to have adjustable capacity. Said dispensing chamber 47a will have a movable plug 50 disposed therein from the open end thereof to adjust the capacity thereof. Said plug may be variously secured. In the embodiment here presented, said chamber 47 is indicated as being tapped and said plug 50 is indicated as being in the form of a bolt having a slotted head for convenient movement axially of said chamber to adjust the capacity of said chamber with relation to the upper point of said passage 49 which represents the height to which said chamber 47a will be filled with feed 43 flowing from the chamber 33. Although not here shown, graduations may be provided formed in an adjacent portion of the body of said member 12 to provide a scale of measurement for the capacity of said chamber 470. Thus the feed 43 which is usually granular in form will pass freely from the storage chamber 33 into the dispensing chamber 47a.

With reference to FiGS. 3 and 5, the terminal portion 47b of said chamber 47 remote from said dispensing chamber 47a is inclined or angled in the direction of the wall 27 to form a discharge passage. The angling of the discharge passage provides for a better distribution of feed than would result from a straight passage.

Operation In the use of applicants device, the member 50 will be positioned within said dispensing chamber 47a to provide the desired capacity within said chamber. Said member 50 is simply rotated with a small screw driver for adjustment. Thus the feed 43 will be metered out in certain uniform quantities. It will be understood that adjustment of the capacity of the chamber 47a may be made from time to time in accordance with the number of fish being fed or the type of fish being fed.

The stopper 38 is removed to fill the primary chamber 33. Preferably this chamber will be filled only to the extent of three-fourths of its capacity.

The applicants device is next mounted onto the supporting member 12 by being secured within the clamp 21 for rotation by the pinion 20. Rotation here will be in a clockwise direction. To be properly positioned for the correct directional movement of the chamber 47, the sides 27 and 28 of applicants device will be engaged by said clamp. The chamber 47 will be remote from said member 12. Thus the axis of rotation as indicated by the arrows will be on a line extending transversely through. the chambers 33 and 47 at right angles to the plane of the partition wall 35 and in a direction parallel to the direction of the passage 40.

When applicants device is positioned as indicated in FIG. 5, the feed in the chamber 33 will all move in the direction of the passage 40 to fill the discharge chamber 47a. As said device 10 is rotated, the feed in the chamber 33 will fall away from the passage 40 and from the bottom wall 39 in the direction of the upper end 32 as said upper end assumes a lowered position. The feed in the dispensing chamber 47a moves downwardly through the chamber 47 in the direction of the discharge passage 47b whereby as said discharge passage closely approaches its position as indicated in FIG. 1, the feed 43 will begin to flow out of said discharge passage and said feed will be completely discharged by the time applicants device has assumed an inverted vertical position. As the rotation of applicants device continues with the upper end thereof approaching an upper position, the feed in the chamber 33 commences to flow towards the lower end of said chamber and when the initial vertical position as indicated in FIG. has been reached again, said discharge chamber 47a will have become refilled. It will be noted that as applicants device rotates that the feed in chamber 47:: will fall directly downwardly through the chamber 47 and the feed in chamber 33 will fall directly downwardly away from the passage 40 so that there will be no movement of feed through thte passage 40 during the course of rotation from the point at which the chamber 47a is filled to the point of its discharge.

The applicants device is of extremely simple construction and provides a positive controlled association between chamber 33 and the dispensing chamber 47a whereby only predetermined quantities of feed are discharged at desired intervals of time.

Modification With reference to FIG. 6, a modification of a portion of applicants device is indicated. The modified structure is indicated generally by the character 60 and comprises a body member 62 substantially identical with said member 25 having a storage chamber 66 and a secondary chamber 67 with a dispensing chamber 67a and a dis charge passage 67b. The capacity of the dispensing chamber 67a is adjusted by the threaded member 69 received within the open end of said dispensing chamber 67a.

The modified structure differs from the member 25 above described only in not having an open upper end portion but instead having an apertured boss 64 extending outwardly of its rear wall 63. It is through the aperture in this boss that the chamber 66 is filled. The pinion 28 above described is shown in modified form as pinion 65 having a keyed or grooved end portion disposed within the aperture of said boss 64 for frictional engagement therein to hold the device 60 in operating position. The device is simply removed from the pinion for filling. This provides some simplification in construction in making it possible to eliminate the stopper 38 and the spring clamp 21. The device 60 operates in the manner as described in connection with the operation above set forth.

Thus it is seen that I have provided a very precise feeding device of very simple construction and having an efficient operation. This device has proved to be very satisfactory in use.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A feeding device for fish in connection with an aquarium having in combination,

a single body member comprising a storage chamber and a metering chamber,

said storage chamber having its bottom wall inclined downwardly from about its periphery to a given low point adjacent said metering chamber,

a passage between said chambers at said low point,

said metering chamber being disposed below the level of said passage with said body member in upright position,

a plug member adjustably secured within said metering chamber below the level of said passage adjusting the capacity of said metering chamber,

a discharge passage forming a continuation of said metering chamber extending axially thereof for some distance and having a terminal portion angling outwardly to the atmosphere in a direction opposite to the normal direction of rotation of said body member, and

rotating means supporting said body member and rotating the same about an axis parallel to the direction of said first mentioned passage and in a direction opposite that of the direction of said angled portion of said discharge passage.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1,

said metering chamber being circular in cross section and said plug member being threadingly received within said metering chamber axially thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 742,415 Hale Oct. 27, 1903 1,084,530 Bettman Jan. 13, 1914 2,700,489 Sheft Jan. 25, 1955 2,847,066 Kleiber et al Aug. 12, 1958 3,022,924 Wistrand Feb. 27, 1962 3,091,371 Marx et a1 May 28, 1963 

1. A FEEDING DEVICE FOR FISH IN CONNECTION WITH AN AQUARIUM HAVING IN COMBINATION, A SINGLE BODY MEMBER COMPRISING A STORAGE CHAMBER AND A METERING CHAMBER, SAID STORAGE CHAMBER HAVING ITS BOTTOM WALL INCLINED DOWNWARDLY FROM ABOUT ITS PERIPHERY TO A GIVEN LOW POINT ADJACENT SAID METERING CHAMBER, A PASSAGE BETWEEN SAID CHAMBERS AT SAID LOW POINT, SAID METERING CHAMBER BEING DISPOSED BELOW THE LEVEL OF SAID PASSAGE WITH SAID BODY MEMBER IN UPRIGHT POSITION, A PLUG MEMBER ADJUSTABLY SECURED WITHIN SAID METERING CHAMBER BELOW THE LEVEL OF SAID PASSAGE ADJUSTING THE CAPACITY OF SAID METERING CHAMBER, A DISCHARGE PASSAGE FORMING A CONTINUATION OF SAID METERING CHAMBER EXTENDING AXIALLY THEREOF FOR SOME DISTANCE AND HAVING A TERMINAL PORTION ANGLING OUTWARDLY TO THE ATMOSPHERE IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE NORMAL DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID BODY MEMBER, AND ROTATING MEANS SUPPORTING SAID BODY MEMBER AND ROTATING THE SAME ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED PASSAGE AND IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE THAT OF THE DIRECTION OF SAID ANGLED PORTION OF SAID DISCHARGE PASSAGE. 